Providing an electrically conductive wall structure adjacent a contact structure of an electronic device
Devices and methods for providing, making, and/or using an electronic apparatus having a wall structure adjacent a resilient contact structure on a substrate. The electronic apparatus can include a substrate and a plurality of electrically conductive resilient contact structures, which can extend from the substrate. A first of the contact structures can be part of an electrical path through the electronic apparatus. A first electrically conductive wall structure can also extend from the substrate, and the first wall structure can be disposed adjacent one of the contact structures. The first wall structure can be electrically connected to a return current path within the electronic apparatus for an alternating current signal or power on the first contact structure.
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Advances in the manufacture of electronic components such as semiconductor dies have given rise to the need for electronic devices with increasingly tight pitched groups of resilient, electrically conductive contact structures for contacting and making electrical connections with electronic components. Examples of such electronic devices include probe card assemblies used for testing dies of a semiconductor wafer and sockets for testing singulated dies. As signal carrying contact structures become increasingly more tightly pitched, however, problems can arise. For example, the closer signal carrying contact structures are to one another, the greater can be the tendency for cross-talk between such signal carrying contact structures. Such cross talk can be particularly pronounced when the signals are high frequency signals.
Some embodiments of the invention disclosed herein can address the foregoing problems as well as other problems in the prior art.
SUMMARYIn some embodiments, an electronic apparatus can include a substrate and a plurality of electrically conductive resilient contact structures, which can extend from the substrate. A first of the contact structures can be part of an electrical path through the electronic apparatus. A first electrically conductive wall structure can also extend from the substrate, and the first wall structure can be disposed adjacent one of the contact structures. The first wall structure can be electrically connected to a return current path within the electronic apparatus for an alternating current signal or power on the first contact structure.
In some embodiments, a process of making an electronic apparatus can include forming on a tool resilient contact structures and a wall structure. The wall structure can be formed such that it is disposed adjacent one the contact structures. The resilience contact structures and the wall structure can be transferred from the tool to a substrate.
In some embodiments, a process of testing an electronic device (DUT) can include effecting contact between a probing apparatus and the DUT, which can establish electrical paths through the probing apparatus to the DUT. Testing the DUT can also include providing system power or test signals to the DUT through an electrical path within the probing apparatus. A resilient contact structure extending from a surface of a substrate that is part of the probing apparatus can be part of the electrical path. Testing the DUT can also include returning current from the system power or the test signals through a return current path that is electrically connected to an electrically conductive wall structure extending from the surface of the substrate and disposed adjacent the contact structure.
This specification describes exemplary embodiments and applications of the invention. The invention, however, is not limited to these exemplary embodiments and applications or to the manner in which the exemplary embodiments and applications operate or are described herein. Moreover, the Figures may show simplified or partial views, and the dimensions of elements in the Figures may be exaggerated or otherwise not in proportion for clarity. In addition, as the terms “on” and “attached to” are used herein, one object (e.g., a material, a layer, a substrate, etc.) can be “on” or “attached to” another object regardless of whether the one object is directly on or attached to the other object or there are one or more intervening objects between the one object and the other object. Also, directions (e.g., above, below, top, bottom, upper, lower, side, up, down, under, over, horizontal, vertical, “x,” “y,” “z,” etc.), if provided, are relative and provided solely by way of example and for ease of illustration and discussion and not by way of limitation. In addition, where reference is made to a list of elements (e.g., elements a, b, c), such reference is intended to include any one of the listed elements by itself, any combination of less than all of the listed elements, and/or a combination of all of the listed elements.
As shown, the electronic device 100 can include a wiring substrate 102 (which can be a non-limiting example of a substrate) with electrically conductive terminals 108, which can be electrically connected by electrically conductive traces and/or vias (not shown) on and/or in the substrate 102 to each other and/or to other electrical elements (e.g., circuit components such as resistors, capacitors, integrated circuit dies, etc.) on and/or in the substrate 102. As also shown, electrically conductive, resilient contact structures 104 (e.g., probes) can be attached to ones of the terminals 108, and one or more electrically conductive wall structures 106 can be disposed around and/or between ones of the contact structures 104. Contact structures 104 and/or wall structures 106 can be fabricated on substrate 102 (or terminals 108), or contact structures 104 and/or wall structures can be fabricated other than on substrate 102 and can then be secured to substrate 102 (or terminals 108).
The substrate 102 can be any structure suitable for supporting contact structures 104 and wall structures 106. Non-limiting examples of suitable substrates 102 include a printed circuit board, a ceramic substrate, a flexible circuit, and substrates comprising organic or inorganic materials. The electronic device 100 can be or can be a part of any of many different types of electronic devices including, without limitation, an interposer, a probe head, a test socket, a semiconductor die (singulated or unsingulated from a semiconductor wafer), etc.
As mentioned, the resilient contact structures 104 can be attached, and thus electrically connected, to ones of the terminals 108. In other examples, the contact structures 104 can be attached directly to the substrate 102 and electrically connected to ones of the terminals 108 by, for example, traces (not shown) on and/or in the substrate 102. The resilient contact structures 104 can be any type of flexible, compliant, and/or spring-like electrically conductive structure. For example, resilient contact structures 104 can be spring contacts that comprise a compliant yet sturdy material that allows the spring contacts to repeatedly spring back after being compressed. Non-limiting examples of suitable contact structures 104 include composite structures formed of a core wire bonded to a conductive terminal (e.g., like terminals 108) and over coated with a resilient material as described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,476,211, U.S. Pat. No. 5,917,707, and U.S. Pat. No. 6,336,269. Contact structures 104 can alternatively be lithographically formed structures, such as the spring elements disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,994,152, U.S. Pat. No. 6,033,935, U.S. Pat. No. 6,255,126, U.S. Pat. No. 6,945,827, U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2001/0044225, and U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2004/0016119. Still other non-limiting examples of contact structures 104 are disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 6,827,584, U.S. Pat. No. 6,640,432, U.S. Pat. No. 6,441,315, and U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2001/0012739. Other non-limiting examples of contact structures 104 include conductive pogo pins, bumps, studs, stamped springs, needles, buckling beams, etc.
The wall structures 106 can be any electrically conductive structure that can be disposed on substrate 102 and, in some embodiments, between ones of the contact structures 104. For example, the wall structures 106 can be in the form of rails such as are depicted in
As can be seen in
Electronic device 100 need not, however, be an interposer with contact structures 104, 304 and wall structures 106, 306 on both sides but can be other types of electronic components or devices. For example, as illustrated in
Regardless of whether electronic device 100 is configured as shown in
As mentioned, in some embodiments, wall structures 106, 306 can be configured to reduce inductance of contact structures 104 or 304 through which delivery of system power is provided. For example, a pair of contact structures (e.g., two of contact structures 104 or two of contact structures 304) can be part of electrical paths through which system power can be provided. One of the contact structures 104 or 304 in the pair can be configured as part of a “force” path for carrying system power from a power supply to a destination (e.g., an electronic element to be powered) and the other of the contact structures 104 or 304 in the pair can be configured as a “return” path for current return to the power supply. For example, the “force” path can be connected or connectable to the power output of a power supply, and the “return” path can be connected or connectable to a common ground. Common ground can be a common ground within the system (not shown) in which device 100 is used. For example, if device 100 is used in a system for testing DUTs, common ground can be the ground connections to the DUTs. The “return” path can thus be a common ground. The inductance of the “force” contact structure 104 or 304 and the “return” contact structure 104 or 304 can be reduced by doing the following: electrically connecting the “force” contact structure 104 or 304 to a wall structure 106 or 306 that is adjacent the “return” contact structure 104 or 304, and electrically connecting the “return” contact structure 104 or 304 to a wall structure 106 or 306 that is adjacent the “force” contact structure 104 or 304. A wall structure 106 or 306 can be “adjacent” a contact structure 104 or 304 if the wall structure 106 or 306 is next to or adjoins the contact structure 104 or 304. Typically, the closer the wall structure 106 or 306 that is connected to “force” is to the “return” contact structure 104 or 304, and the closer the wall structure 106 or 306 that is connected to “return” is to the “force” contact structure 104 or 304, the greater the reduction in inductance. Also, the closer the “force” contact structure 104 or 304 and the “return” contact structure 103 or 304 are to each other, the greater the reduction in inductance. Examples of the foregoing techniques for providing low inductance power delivery are illustrated and discussed below with respect to
As also mentioned above, in some embodiments, wall structures 106, 306 can be configured to reduce an impedance of one or more contact structures 104, 304 configured to carry electrical signals (e.g., test signals). For example, a wall structure can be configured to reduce an impedance of a contact structure 104 or 304 that is part of an electrical path configured to carry electrical signals (e.g., alternating current signals). A contact structure 104 and 304 can be configured to carry electrical signals by being part of an electrical path that is connected or connectable to a source of electrical signals. The impedance of the contact structure 104 and 304 can be reduced by electrically connecting an adjacent wall structure 106 or 306 to a current return path for the electrical signals. Because the electrical signals are alternating current signals, the current in the current return path can be alternating current. A wall structure 106 or 306 can be electrically connected to a current return path for signals passing through a contact structure 104 or 304 in a number of ways. For example, the contact structure 104 or 304 can be connected to common ground. If one or more ground planes (e.g., an electrically conductive layer of material connected to common ground) are on or embedded within substrate 102, the wall structure 106 or 306 can be connected to common ground by electrically connecting the wall structure 106 or 306 to one of the ground planes. As another example, if the path from a system power supply to a destination of the power is AC (alternating current) coupled to common ground, the contact structure 104 or 304 can be connected to the system power. The AC coupling can be anywhere along the path between the system power supply and the destination of the power. For example, the AC coupling can be through one or more capacitors connected from the system power supply to ground, and the one or more capacitors can be connected from the power path to ground anywhere from near the system power supply to near the destination of the power (e.g., an electronic component to which the power is being supplied). If one or more power planes (e.g., an electrically conductive layer of material connected to system power) are on or embedded within substrate 102, the wall structure 106 or 306 can be connected to system power by electrically connecting the wall structure 106 or 306 to one of the power planes.
A wall structure 106 or 306 can be “adjacent” a contact structure 104 or 304 if the wall structure 106 or 306 is next to or adjoins the contact structure 104 or 304. Typically, the closer the wall structure 106 or 306 is to the contact structure 104 or 304, the greater the reduction in impedance. Examples of the foregoing techniques for reducing impedance are illustrated in and discussed below with respect to
As also mentioned above, in some embodiments, the wall structures 106, 306 can function as electromagnetic shields. For example, because wall structures 106, 306 can be electrically conductive (e.g., the wall structures 106, 306 can comprise an electrically conductive metal). Disposed between or around ones of the contact structures 104, the wall structures 106 can thus partially or fully shield one or more of the contact structures 104 from electromagnetic interference. For example, the wall structures 106 can partially or fully shield one or more contact structures 104 from cross talk with other contact structures 104. As another example, the wall structures 106 can partially or fully shield one or more contact structures 104 from interference from ambient electromagnetic signals or radiation. Examples of shielding are illustrated in
As also mentioned, wall structures 106, 306 can provide non-electrical benefits or functions. For example, in some embodiments, the wall structures 106 can be non-compliant, or mostly non-compliant. For example, the wall structures 106 can be rigid or substantially rigid. The wall structures 106 can thus act as stop structures, limiting compression of the resilient contact structures 104 when the contact structures 104 are pressed against another object (e.g., against an electronic device with which contact structures 104 are to make electrical connections). Such wall structures 106 can also mechanically protect the resilient contact structures 104 from incidental contact and associated damage, resulting in a device 100 that resists damage when handled. As can be seen in
Of course, in some embodiments, different wall structures 106, 306 on device 100 can function to provide two or more of any of the foregoing functions or benefits. For example, wall structures 106, 306 can reduce impedance of one or more contact structures 104, 304, reduce inductance of power delivery through one or more contact structures 104, 304, partially or fully shield one or more contact structures 104, 304, and/or act as stop structures as generally discussed above.
The configuration (e.g., layout, connections, shapes, number, etc.) of the contact structures 104, wall structures 106, and terminals 108 in
Although the wall structures 106 shown in
The contact structures 104 in
In
As another non-limiting example of variations of the electronic device 100 of
Any of the wall structures 406, 416, 416′, 506, 516, 606, 616 can be generally similar to wall structures 106 in many respects. For example, wall structures 406, 416, 416′, 506, 516, 606, 616 can have similar structural characteristics as wall structures 106, and wall structures 406, 416, 416′, 506, 516, 606, 616 can be made and utilized in a same or similar manner as wall structures 106. It is also noted that, in any of the embodiments disclosed herein, some wall structures can be substantially straight, some can be curvilinear, and some can include on or more angled changes in direction.
The foregoing exemplary configurations of the wall structures 106, 406, 416, 416′, 506, 516, 606, 616 can result in various signaling options for the electronic devices 100, 400, 500, 600. For example, some resilient contact structures 104 can be shielded, while other resilient contact structures 104 can be left unshielded. One row or column of resilient contact structures 104 can be shielded from another row or column of resilient contact structures 104. Some resilient contact structures 104 can be configured as part of a differential pair. Many other possible configurations are also possible. For example, although not shown, some electronic devices 100, 400, 500, 600 can be configured to allow a user to select between one of a plurality of available voltage sources to connect to a particular wall structure 106. In a non-limiting example, a wall structure 106 can have a switch (not shown) that can be selectively switched between a first voltage source and a second voltage source (e.g., system power and common ground, which can be utilized as discussed above, for example, to control the impedance of a contact structure 104, 304 or reduce the inductance of a contact structure 104, 304 carrying power). Non-limiting examples of suitable switches (not shown) include electronic switches, field effect transistors, and relays.
In the configuration shown in
In one exemplary signaling scenario illustrated in
In like manner, the contact structure 104f in
As another example of a signaling configuration, the contact structures 104j and 104k in
Although
The configurations and electrical connections among the contact structures 104 and wall structures 606, 616 illustrated in
Each of electronic devices 400, 500, 600 illustrated in
The contact structures 104 and wall structures 106, 306, 406, 416, 416′, 506, 516, 606, 616 can be made in any suitable manner.
As shown, tool 700 can comprise a support structure 702 (which can be a non-limiting example of a base) and a plurality of contact mandrels 704 (which can be non-limiting examples of contact mandrel protrusions) and a plurality of wall mandrels 706 (which can be non-limiting examples of wall mandrel protrusions) extending from the support structure 702. As shown, each contact mandrel 704 can include an electrically conductive seed area 714, and each wall mandrel 706 can include an electrically conductive seed area 716. The seed area 714 on each contact mandrel 704 can be in a desired shape of a contact structure to be formed on the contact mandrel 704, and the seed area 716 can be in a desired shape of a wall structure to be formed on the wall mandrel 706. For example, seed areas 714, 716 can represent areas on tool 700 on which material can be deposited to form contact structures 104 and wall structures 106.
As shown in
The support structure 702 and the mandrels 704, 706 can be electrically non-conductive, and the seed areas 714, 716 can comprise a layer of conductive material deposited onto the mandrels 704, 706. Alternatively, mandrels 704, 706 and optionally support structure 702 can comprise an electrically conductive material, and a surface of the mandrels 704, 706 and optionally support structure 702 can be coated with an electrically non-conductive material in a pattern that exposes only the seed areas 714, 716. In such a case, seed areas 714, 716 can be portions of the support structure 702 that are exposed through openings in the coating (not shown) on the support structure 702. Other configurations are also possible.
Rather than or in addition to electroplating, other deposition methods can be used to deposit the material 1104 forming the contact structures 104 onto the contact mandrels 704 and the material 1106 forming the wall structures 106 onto the wall mandrels 706. For example, the material 1104 forming the contact structures 104 can be deposited onto the contact mandrels 704 and the material 1106 forming the wall structures 106 can be deposited onto the wall mandrels 706 by any other process by which materials 1104, 1106 can be deposited onto mandrels 704, 706. Non-limiting examples of such alternative deposition techniques include chemical vapor deposition, physical vapor deposition, sputter deposition, electroless plating, electron beam deposition, evaporation (e.g., thermal evaporation), flame spring coating, rapid prototype printing or additive processes such as inkjet aerosol deposition or vapor assisted deposition, and plasma spray coating. Seed areas 714, 716 may not be useful with some of the foregoing deposition techniques and therefore need not be included on mandrels 704, 706. Other methods can be used to control the deposition of material 1104, 1106 forming the contact structures 104 and wall structures 106 onto mandrels 704, 706. For example, such material 1104 and/or 1106 can be deposited onto mandrels 704 and/or 706 through masks or stencils (not shown) in the desired shapes of the contact structures 104 and wall structures 106. As another example, such material 1104 and/or 1106 can be deposited onto the mandrels 704 and/or 706 and optionally the support structure 702 and then portions of the deposited material can be removed leaving material on contact mandrels 704 in the desired shapes of the contact structures 104 and material on wall mandrels 706 in the desired shapes of the wall structures 106.
After contact structures 104 and wall structures 106 are formed on mandrels 704, 706, contact structures 104 and wall structures 106 can be transferred to substrate 102 as illustrated in
The contact structures 104 and wall structures 106 can be released from tool 700, and tool 700 can be removed as shown in
The process illustrated in
There are many possible uses and applications for electronic device 100. For example, electronic device 100 or similar devices (e.g., any of electronic devices 400, 500, and/or 600) can be part of a probe cad assembly for testing electronic devices such as semiconductor dies.
As shown in
As shown, the probe card assembly 1340 can comprise the electronic device 100 of
Probe card assembly 1340 is exemplary only and many variations are possible. For example, electronic device 100 can be replaced with direct (e.g., rigid connections (not shown)) between terminals 1306 and terminals 1311. Examples of such connections include solder (not shown). As another example, flexible wires (not shown) electrically connecting terminals 1306 and terminals 1311 can replace electronic device 100 in
The probe head 1308 can comprise a substrate 1312 (e.g., a wiring substrate made of ceramic or other materials) with electrically conductive, spring-like probes 1314 for contacting and making electrical connections with input and/or output terminals 1324 of DUT 1322. As shown, wall structures 1310 can be can be disposed on substrate 1312. Substrate 1312 can be like substrate 102, and probes can be like contact structures 104 and/or 304 and can be made in the same was as contact structures 104 and/or 304. Similarly, wall structures 1310 can be like, can be made in the same way as, and can serve any of the functions discussed above as any of wall structures 106, 306, 406, 416, 416′, 506, 516, 606, and/or 616. Electrical paths (not shown) (e.g., in the form of electrically conductive vias and/or traces on and/or in substrate 1312) can electrically connect terminals 1311 with probes 1314 and/or wall structures 1310.
Brackets 1316 and/or other suitable means can hold the wiring substrate 1302, interposer 1310, and probe head 1312 together. The probe card assembly 1340 can provide a plurality of signal paths comprising the communications channels 1320, the above-described conductive paths through the probe card assembly 1340, and the probes 1314 between the tester 1318 and input and/or output terminals 1324 of DUT 1322, which can be any one or more electronic device to be tested. For example DUT 1322 can be, without limitation, one or more dies of an unsingulated semiconductor wafer, one or more semiconductor dies singulated from a wafer (packaged or unpackaged), one or more dies of an array of singulated semiconductor dies disposed in a carrier or other holding device, one or more multi-die electronic devices, one or more printed circuit boards, or any other type of electronic device or devices. (DUT 1322 can be a non-limiting example of an electronic component (or device) or an electronic component (or device) to be tested.)
DUT 1322 can be tested as follows. Input and/or output terminals 1324 and probes 1314 can be brought into contact, which can establish electrical connections between the probes 1314 and the input and/or output terminals 1324 of DUT 1322. The tester 1318 can generate test signals, which can be provided through the communications channels 1320 and probe card assembly 1340 and probes 1314 to input terminals 1324 of the DUT 1322. Response signals generated by the DUT 1322 can be sensed by probes 1314 in contact with output terminals 1324 of the DUT and provided through the probe card assembly 1340 and communications channels 1320 to the tester 1318. The tester 1318 can analyze the response signals to determine whether the DUT 1322 responded properly to the test signals and, consequently, whether the DUT 1322 passes or fails the testing. The tester 1318 can alternatively or in addition rate the performance (e.g., operating speed) of the DUT 1322.
The electronic device 100 or any of the various configurations or alternatives in electronic devices 400, 500, 600 need not be configured as an interposer in a probe card assembly (e.g., like probe card assembly 1340). For example, the probe head 1312 can be a modified version of the electronic device 100 shown in
As also shown in
The configuration shown in
The configuration shown in
The configuration shown in
The configurations shown in
The wall structures and signaling techniques illustrated and discussed herein are not limited to use in a test system or probe card assembly like those illustrated in
As shown in
As can be evident from the foregoing description, some embodiments of the invention can provide advantages over the current state of the art. For example, some embodiments of the electronic device 100 (or electronic device 400, 500, or 600) can provide wall structures 106 for electronic shielding, impedance control, delivery of low inductance power, differential signaling, and/or mechanical protection as discussed herein (e.g., with respect to
The wall structures 106, 406, 416, 416′, 506, 516, 606, and 616 illustrated and discussed herein are exemplary only, and many variations are possible.
Wall structures 1606, 1706, and/or 1806 in
Although specific embodiments and applications of the invention have been described in this specification, there is no intention that the invention be limited to these exemplary embodiments and applications or to the manner in which the exemplary embodiments and applications operate or are described herein. For example, the resilient contact structures 104 can be formed directly on the substrate 102 instead of formed on the tool 700 and then subsequently attached to the substrate 102. Also, the tool 700 can be shaped differently from those shown in the drawing Figures so as to produce wall structures 106 and resilient contact structures 104 of various shapes. Some tools 700, for example, can be shaped to form tips that extend from the ends of the resilient contact structures 104 to allow the resilient contact structures 104 to provide better electrical contact. Some tools 700 can be shaped to form a single probe 104 and/or wall structure 106, and others can be shaped to form an array of resilient contact structures 700 and/or wall structures 106. Also, the resilient contact structures 104 and/or wall structures 106 can be formed by a plurality of plating layers. Further modifications to the exemplary embodiments described herein can be included within the scope of the invention.
Claims
1. An electronic apparatus comprising:
- a substrate;
- a plurality of electrically conductive resilient contact structures extending from the substrate, a first of the contact structures being part of an electrical path through the electronic apparatus, the contact structures configured to be compressed by contact with terminals of a device and thereby make electrical connections with the terminals; and
- a first electrically conductive rigid wall structure extending from the substrate and disposed adjacent at least one of the contact structures, an end surface of the rigid wall structure disposed to contact directly the device and thereby limit compression of the resilient contact structures by the device, wherein the first wall structure is electrically connected to a return current path within the electronic apparatus for alternating current signals or system power on the first contact structure.
2. The electronic apparatus of claim 1 further comprising an electrical connection for electrically connecting the electrical path to a source of the alternating current signals.
3. The electronic apparatus of claim 2, wherein the return current path is connected to common ground.
4. The electronic apparatus of claim 2, wherein the return current path is connected to system power, and the system power is coupled by an alternating current coupler to common ground.
5. The electronic apparatus of claim 4, wherein the alternating current coupler comprises a capacitor electrically connecting the system power to the common ground.
6. The electronic apparatus of claim 1 further comprising an electrical connection for electrically connecting the electrical path to the system power.
7. The electronic apparatus of claim 6, wherein the return current path is connected to common ground.
8. The electronic apparatus of claim 6, wherein:
- a second of the contact structures is part of the return current path;
- a second electrically conductive rigid wall structure extends from the substrate and is disposed adjacent the second contact structure; and
- the second wall structure is electrically connected to the electrical path.
9. The electronic apparatus of claim 8, wherein the return current path is connected to common ground.
10. The electronic apparatus of claim 1, wherein:
- the first contact structure and the first wall structure extend from a first surface of the substrate;
- a second of the contact structures extends from a second surface of the substrate, the second surface being opposite the first surface, the second contact structure being electrically connected to the first contact structure through the substrate, the second contact structure being part of the electrical path;
- the apparatus further comprising: a second electrically conductive rigid wall structure extending from the second surface of the substrate and disposed adjacent the second contact structure, the second wall structure being electrically connected to the return current path.
11. The electronic apparatus of claim 1, wherein:
- a multiplicity of the contact structures are disposed in at least two rows;
- a first portion of the wall structure is disposed between ones of the contact structures in different rows; and
- a second portion of the wall structure is disposed adjacent at least one of the contact structures in one of the rows.
12. The electronic apparatus of claim 1, wherein:
- ones of the contact structures are disposed in a row;
- a length of a wall structure extends less than a length of the rows.
13. The electronic apparatus of claim 1, wherein each of ones of the contact structures comprise extension structures extending from opposite sides of the contact structure.
14. The electronic apparatus of claim 1, wherein the electronic apparatus is part of a probe card assembly comprising an electrical interface to a tester and a plurality of probes for contacting an electronic component to be tested, the electrical path extending from the interface to one of the probes.
15. The electronic apparatus of claim 1, wherein, while each of the contact structures is uncompressed, each of the contact structures extends a greater distance from the substrate than a distance the first wall structure extends from the substrate.
16. An electronic apparatus comprising: wherein:
- a substrate;
- a plurality of electrically conductive resilient contact structures extending from the substrate, a first of the contact structures being part of an electrical path through the electronic apparatus; and
- a first electrically conductive wall structure extending from the substrate and disposed adjacent at least one of the contact structures, wherein the first wall structure is electrically connected to a return current path within the electronic apparatus for alternating current signals or system power on the first contact structure, wherein:
- the first contact structure and the first wall structure extend from a first surface of the substrate;
- a second of the contact structures extends from a second surface of the substrate, the second surface being opposite the first surface, the second contact structure being electrically connected to the first contact structure through the substrate, the second contact structure being part of the electrical path;
- the electronic apparatus further comprising: a second electrically conductive wall structure extending from the second surface of the substrate and disposed adjacent the second contact structure, the second wall structure being electrically connected to the return current path,
- a third of the contact structures extends from the first surface of the substrate and is part of the return current path;
- a fourth of the contact structures extends from the second surface of the substrate and is part of the return current path, the fourth contact structure being electrically connected through the substrate to the third contact structure;
- the electronic apparatus further comprising: a third electrically conductive wall structure extending from the first surface of the substrate and disposed adjacent the fourth contact structure, the fourth wall structure being electrically connected to the electrical path; and a fourth electrically conductive wall structure extending from the second surface of the substrate and disposed adjacent the third contact structure, the third wall structure being electrically connected to the electrical path.
17. The electronic apparatus of claim 16, wherein:
- the first wall structure is rigid,
- the second wall structure is rigid,
- the third wall structure is rigid, and
- the fourth wall structure is rigid.
18. A process of testing an electronic device (DUT), the process comprising:
- effecting contact between a probing apparatus and the DUT, the contact establishing a plurality of electrical paths through the probing apparatus to the DUT;
- providing one of system power or test signals to the DUT through an electrical path within the probing apparatus, the electrical path comprising a first resilient contact structure extending from a surface of a substrate that is part of the probing apparatus, the contact structures configured to be compressed by contact with terminals of a device and thereby make electrical connections with the terminals; and
- returning current from the one of the system power or the test signals through a return current path that is electrically connected to a first electrically conductive rigid wall structure extending from the surface of the substrate and disposed adjacent the first contact structure, an end surface of the rigid wall structure disposed to contact directly the device and thereby limit compression of the resilient contact structures by the device.
19. The process of claim 18, wherein the providing comprises providing test signals that are alternating current signals through the electrical path to the DUT.
20. The process of claim 19, wherein the return current path is common ground connected to the DUT.
21. The process of claim 19, wherein the return current path is connected to the system power provided to the DUT, the process further comprising coupling by an alternating current coupling mechanism the system power to common ground connected to the DUT.
22. The process of claim 21, wherein the coupling comprises capacitively coupling the system power to the common ground.
23. The process of claim 18, wherein the providing comprises forcing system power through the electrical path to the DUT.
24. The process of claim 23, wherein:
- the return current path comprises a second resilient contact structure extending from the surface of the substrate; and
- the electrical path is electrically connected to a second electrically conductive rigid wall structure extending from the surface of the substrate and disposed adjacent the second contact structure.
25. The process of claim 23, wherein the return current path is common ground.
26. The process of claim 18, wherein the probing apparatus is a probe card assembly comprising an interface to a tester configured to control testing of the DUT and a plurality of probes for contacting terminals of the DUT, the electrical paths being between the interface the probes; and
- the process further comprises connecting the interface of the probing apparatus to the tester.
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Type: Grant
Filed: Mar 7, 2008
Date of Patent: May 3, 2011
Patent Publication Number: 20090224785
Assignee: FormFactor, Inc. (Livermore, CA)
Inventors: Keith J. Breinlinger (San Ramon, CA), David P. Pritzkau (Brentwood, CA), Benjamin N. Eldridge (Danville, CA)
Primary Examiner: Ha Tran T Nguyen
Assistant Examiner: Richard Isla Rodas
Attorney: Kirton & McConkie
Application Number: 12/044,893
International Classification: G01R 31/20 (20060101);